The Eldest Daughter Walks Down The Flower Path

Chapter 5

Instead of David, it was Radis who clutched his brother’s armor tightly over her chest and donned it when she took the academy’s entrance examination.

Then, she was the one who headed to the forest of the demonic monsters. The subjugation was as terrible as people had said.

However, Robert, the Commander of the Imperial Expedition Squad, was tired of teaching frightened newbies kindly. He used force instead.

He trained Radis.

And Radis survived.

She went hunting several times even as she inhaled demonic energy, and she continued to survive.

That allowed David to be appointed as a fully-fledged knight.

Hailing from the Tilrod family, he became a Sergeant.

Everyone in the family jumped for joy. However, throughout all of this, Radis had to hide in her remote, detached room that was prepared for her.

Because she had absorbed too much demonic energy and her skin had turned into a purplish hue.

“You’ll get better if you rest. Sleep well.”

Margaret was no longer being rude to Radis.

She had a cozy bed and good food.

For the first time in her life, Radis had finally established herself inside the Tilrod family’s fence.

Radis was happy.

She laughed along with the laughter she could hear from far away.

The celebration continued for her family. Her parents, David and Yurhi were ecstatic.

Radis went on the subjugation as though she was chasing after Margaret. And there were times that she went out twice in one season.

But now, even if she rested or slept well… Radis wouldn’t get better.

Jade, who had started a trading business, had failed every single time. The family’s money was falling through shallow hands, and now they were up to their necks in debt because it was spent on all this glamour.

David had new armor, Margaret and Yurhi had new dresses and jewelry, Samhar tea was brought in, and they were planning to extend the mansion…

All that needed money.

How could she relax in this house?

If she went to a temple and received a purification ritual, then the demonic energy in her body would disappear even if it cost a little money. But Margaret didn’t allow it.

“Are you even using your head? Wouldn’t everyone find it strange that you’ve been infused with demonic energy?”

Radis had endured until now. Not only did she endure, but she found a way to keep her spirits up despite everything.

Because of that, she would have been able to withstand the purification and become stronger.

The more she went beyond adversity, the more brilliant Radis’ sqord shone.

Soon, she became the unit commander of her own squad.

Her sacrifice increased the Tilrod family’s honor.

David became one of the most decorated knights in the South, and Yurhi was able to have a big wedding and a considerable dowry because of the magic stone that Radis brought.

The subjugation continued until that day.

And so, she faced a miserable death alone.

 

* * * 

“…”

Radis opened her eyes.

Soft sunlight tickled her cheeks.

“Didn’t I… die?”

Radis slowly rose to her feet. Her body was strangely light.

Her limbs weren’t heavy and wooden, nor was there any pain from her blood vessels and muscles being torn inside out by the demonic energy infused into her body.

Besides that, her skin was clear.

“…?”

Her skin was immaculate.

It was supposed to have turned purple because of the demonic energy, but it was completely normal right now.

That’s impossible.

No matter how high-ranking the priest was who performed the purification ritual on her, it would be impossible to completely purify a body that was contaminated to the point of death.

“It’s strange…”

The skin on her hands was soft, too.

Her hands had always been rough like the bark of a tree from all the times she held a sword and handled leather, but it looked like her hands had reverted to when she was a child.

Radis looked around.

This wasn’t her room in the annex.

It was her room at the main house where she spent her childhood.

Feeling strange, she walked to the shabby vanity table and took a hand mirror there.

“…!”

 

* * * 

Today was Margaret’s happiest day.

It was the day when she held a banquet to celebrate her precious son’s entrance to the Imperial Academy.

“Everything has to be perfect today!”

She closely supervised the garden’s landscaping, the mansion’s decorating and the banquet’s dishes to be served, but even as everything was hectic, a smile did not leave her lips.

She ordered the servants.

“Soon, the admissions officer of the Imperial Academy will come. The family can’t look bad. You all make sure to serve them without any reservations.”

The servants bowed low.

Meanwhile, the lovely Yurhi was thrilled about the fancy banquet.

Wearing a light green dress that matched her pretty green eyes, Yurhi was excited about the biggest cake she had ever seen. She circled around it while flailing her arms.

Margaret saw her and opened her arms.

“My pretty baby!”

They embraced tenderly.

“What’s your brother doing?”

“He’s in the library!”

“In the library? How admirable!”

“Nooo, he said he was going to take a nap because he had nothing else to do.”

Margaret’s forehead wrinkled.

“Ah, that kid. The admissions officer will be here soon! Go wake up your brother.”

“Okay, Mom!”

Just as she was about to run there with her arms flapping as she skipped, she suddenly looked back.

“Oh, by the way, Mom! Where’s Radis?”

Margaret’s voice became sharp.

“Radis? What about her?”

“Umm, it’s a party to celebrate Brother’s entrance, right? Shouldn’t the whole family be together?”

“It’s fine. Aren’t you going…?”

“Okaayy.”

“Bring back your brother!”

Yurhi nodded and turned around.

Then, Margaret opened the main door.

At the end of the day, even Loto, the gardener, would be able to attend wearing his one and only clean suit.

And yet Radis wasn’t allowed to come.

It was no wonder that this question came to Yurhi’s mind.

‘Isn’t Radis family, too?’

 

* * * 

“Thank you for inviting me.”

Klein, the Imperial Academy’s admissions officer, entered the Tilrod family’s mansion with a smile on his face.

“You must have had a rough time coming here.”

Jade Tilrod, the family’s patriarch, greeted Klein, who was surprised to see Jade’s mottled face and plump body.

As far as he knew, Jade had once been a promising knight in the South.

But the glory of the past could not be found in Jade’s present.

Klein quickly schooled his features and hid his thoughts behind a polite smile.

“I’m glad to be able to deliver the Imperial Academy’s certificate of admission to the historic house of Tilrod. How proud you must be to have an exceptional son.”

Jade smiled bitterly at the admission officer’s words.

He was once a knight.

He knew better than anyone that David had no talent at all for knighthood.

Jade was hoping that Radis would fail the test, but the stupid Radis passed on behalf of David.

His hands were shaking just thinking of the future.

He grabbed the shoulder of a servant and took a glass from his tray, downing the entire glass of wine in one gulp.

Then, he opened his mouth.

“I’m very proud. Yes, I’m very, very proud…”

Margaret separated Jade, just as his hands began to tremble, from the bewildered Jade.

“Come on in! I’m Margaret Tilrod, and I’m the mistress of this estate. David will be here soon. Oh, he’s coming down!”

She was busy guiding Klein away from her husband, then pointed to the stairs that were connected to the banquet hall.

With a helmet over his head, David was in full armor as he descended the stairs.

“Oh, David!”

A smile appeared on Klein’s face.

“At the entrance exam, David was admired by everyone. I was very impressed by the eldest son of the Tilrod family. He was like Alexis Tilrod, the Sword of Fire…”

While Klein was speaking, David slowly walked toward him.

Then, as though in slow motion, he unsheathed his sword… and pointed it straight ahead.

Klein trailed off and stopped speaking.

Surprised, Margaret shook her head frantically.

“D-David! What are you doing?!”

Fortunately, David did not come any closer.

Instead, he turned his head and looked around the banquet hall.

Still unsure of what was going on, the mansion’s servants continued to smile as they watched David looking around the beautifully decorated banquet hall, the lavish dishes on the long buffet table, and the tall cake decorated with many other sweets.

Then, he lifted the sword… as if to slash a man, he sliced off the top of the cake.

“Kyaaak!”

Margaret let out a tearful shriek.

Because the part of the cake that flew through the air landed exactly on Margaret’s chest.

She couldn’t resist the force behind the cake, and so she tumbled back and floundered.

“What! What is this?!”

Jade, who was a little behind Margret and Klein, shouted after her.

“David! What are you doing?!”

David did not answer.

Instead, he wiped off the cream on the blade with a tablecloth in one fluid motion, then sheathed the sword once more.

Then, he strode up to Klein and held out his hand.

“The certificate of admission.”

As Klein’s face had turned pale, he handed over the envelope that had been tucked under his arm.

Taking this from him, David tore open the envelope that was enclosed by a luxurious golden seal, then took out the admission certificate.

David Tilrod, the eldest son of the Tilrod family, passed the entrance examination with flying colors, and is thus admitted to the Imperial Academy.

In front of Klein’s face, David tore the certificate in pieces.

Margaret, who had been sweeping off the cream from her chest, screamed.

“David—!”

Under the helmet, pink lips opened.

“No.”

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And she took the helmet off.

“…!”

The gardener Roto, who was standing nearby, dropped the hat that was in his hands.

“La, Lady Radis…?”

Rather than David, the person underneath the armor was Radis.